Baltimore Beatdown
After a 1-5 start and injuries to several key players, the Ravens’ 2025 season seemed to be slipping away from them. Fast forward six weeks, and Sunday’s 23-10 win over the New York Jets marked Baltimore’s fifth straight victory and ascendance to the top of the AFC North. Here are five factors that have helped drive this winning streak.
Through the first five weeks of the season, the Ravens’ defense allowed 35.4 points per game — the highest in any five-game span in franchise history. During their winning streak, the defense has allowed only 13.4 points per game — the lowest in the league during this period.
A number of personnel changes have revamped the Ravens defense. The acquisitions of S Alohi Gilman and OLB Dre’Mont Jones have boosted the unit, and moving S Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage has allowed him to wreak havoc across the field. The most noticeable improvements are in the red zone. When the Ravens started at 1-5, they had allowed 21 touchdowns on 30 opponent trips (70%) to the red zone. In the five games since, the defense has surrendered only four touchdowns on 13 red-zone trips (30.7%). They are not only limiting opponents’ chances of reaching the red zone but also keeping offenses out of the end zone once they get there. The defense has improved at every level and deserves significant credit for this winning streak, especially since the offense has not played to its full potential.
Heading into their bye week, the Ravens had a 1-5 record and a -7 turnover margin. In the last five games, the Ravens have forced 10 turnovers and committed just three, resetting their turnover margin to 0.
There are multiple angles to take here. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush is responsible for five of the offense’s 10 turnovers, and he only started two games. During the win streak, the Ravens have only turned the ball over in one of their five games, while the defense has forced a turnover in every game, with multiple turnovers in three of them. The offense has done its job in protecting the ball, and the defense has become a reliable threat to take the ball away from the other team.
If you asked a Ravens fan before the season, very few would have had positive things to say about Jordan Stout. The former fourth-round pick was 26th in the league last season in yards per punt, but he is currently third in the league this season.
Stout played the best game of his NFL career in Sunday’s victory over the Jets. He averaged 61.5 yards across his four punts, tied the franchise record with a 74-yard punt in the second quarter, and saved his best punt for last when he pinned the Jets at...
